‘Diaspora Affairs Office not an entertainment outfit’ - Kofi Okyere-Darko

Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President, Kofi Okyere-Darko, has clarified the purpose of his office, insisting that it is not an entertainment outfit but rather a bridge between Ghana and its diaspora.

According to him, the Office of Diaspora Affairs is focused on strengthening Ghana’s relationship with Ghanaians and people of African origin living outside the country.

Speaking to the media at the Ghana Diaspora Town Hall Meeting held at the Osu Castle Gardens on September 18, 2026, Kofi Okyere-Darko said the office’s mandate extends beyond entertainment and includes facilitating investment and other engagements between Ghana and the diaspora.

“The Diaspora Affairs Office is not that of an entertainment outfit. We’re the bridge between Ghana and the diaspora, people of African origin, be it in the Caribbean, the Americas, or the Afro-Latinos; people of African origins,” he said.

He traced Ghana’s engagement with the African diaspora to the country’s independence in 1957, when then-President Kwame Nkrumah invited prominent figures, including Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., Muhammad Ali and Louis Armstrong, to Ghana.

“Right from Ghana’s independence in 1957, Dr Kwame Nkrumah invited some prominent personalities, including Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., Muhammad Ali, Louis Armstrong; they were all here when Ghana gained independence. That was how this all started,” he added.

Kofi Okyere-Darko said the office also wants to ensure that the relationship between Ghana and the diaspora goes beyond remittances.

Diaspora Affairs Office hosts town hall to strengthen ties with Ghanaians abroad

He explained that the office would facilitate the return of diaspora members who wish to invest in Ghana by purchasing property or establishing businesses.

“So we want to make sure that beyond Ghanaians bringing remittances, if they or other members of the diaspora want to come back to buy properties or set up businesses, we will facilitate that for them,” he said.

Watch the video below:

'The Office of the Diaspora is not an entertainment office' – Kofi Okyere-Darko, Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the Presidency.

He made the remarks while speaking to the media at the Ghana Diaspora Town Hall Meeting held at the Osu Castle Gardens.#ghanaweb… pic.twitter.com/ZmgNSIyHwG

— GhanaWeb (@TheGhanaWeb) September 18, 2026